Preparations: Battle for the Lost Lands
Pre-battle Shenanigans Mizore sat on a ledge of a roof near the camp. She sighed and said, "Wonder when Echo'll show up in the fight?" She jumped down, and landed perfectly. She then drew her Shadow Blade and began to practice. As Mizore was swinging her sword around, Seireitou instantly poped out, almsot being cut by Mizore, only a little piece of hair being cut off. "HEY! watch your aim!" he called out, backing away. Mizore smirked and said, "I should give you a scar; make you look like a real man instead of a priss." Seireitou sneered, but then looked down, "I already have one...." he thought as he looked up and grinned, "And i should help you get a real man instead of someone like the Twilight Zone over there." he replied. Mizore smirked and said, "You could never understand my love for Echo, because it isn't about superficiality, like all your relationships." Seireitou sighed, "Not really, you could never understand... you know nothing about me, onyl what you accept as reality..." he stated, "Anyways, i came here for another reason." he continued, throwing a scroll over to Mizore. Mizore caught the scroll and asked, "What's this for?" Seireitou sighed, "A gift of sorts.... Since you'll be fighting along side your sis, you might need that... But only use it when absolutly needed." he replied. Mizore sighed, "I can hold my own Sei, and Hikaru-sama and Echo-kun taught me some pretty neat techniques." She smiled and gave Sei a quick hug, "But thanks anyway." She then unfurled her wings and headed off to meet Echo. Seireitou sighed, "Foolish girl...." he meerly stated as he sensed another presense approaching him. Mizu smirked as he entered. "Aw come on Sei, She's just trying to be nice. At least she didn't use the -kohai suffix." Seireitou's eyes narrowed, "Yeah, how long is that gonna last... also, Is Suzaku done with preparations?" he asked. Mizu snorted, "Yeah, with lots of yelling. Kaguya wouldn't shut up, so the decibal level rose and..." "Uh-huh...." Seireitou replied as he stared into the Horizen, with a nerving feeling. "Mizu.... tell me, how is Kurumu-chan getting ready? I havent seen her for a week after i trained her..." he asked. Mizu looked down and said, "She isn't going to be in the battle, Sei." Seireitou's eyes widened, "And why the hell is that, Mizu-kohai!? She's been trained to even meet her sister on an even level! Dont give me that shit!" he replied. Mizu sighed and said, "It isn't that. You see, Kurumu cannot stand the fact that she's been trained to physically hurt someone. She's a pacifist. I know this all too well..." Seireitou stared with silence, "Reguardless..... She will fight, and if you disagree, then you'll have to fight me then, and WE ALL KNOW the result of that..." he said as he looked onto the rising sun. Dawn was fastly approaching, and the beginning of Kouhei and Senna's destinies to intertwine. Seireitou faced Mizu once more, "Kurumu may not like to hurt others.... but.... she knows well, better then even I, the Dai Kaioshin...." he replied. "Will force me to fight in this ungodly war?" asked a meek Kurumu in tears. "There was a reason I avoided you..." She ran away crying. Mizu sighed, "Way to go Sei..." Mizu walked away to his company's barracks. Love, War, and Realization Seireitou walked into her room, his face staring down, "Kurumu-chan...." he began. Kurumu useed her chakra to slm the door in his face, and lock it tight. She then said, "I don't want to talk with you." Mizore was sitting next to Kurumu trying to comfort her. She then said, "Please go away, Seireitou-kohai. I don't forgive those who make my sister cry." Seireitou stood at the closed door and stared at the bottom and left after 20 minutes. As night soon fell, before the day of the war, Seireitou sat ontop of the hill. His eyes were dry, signifying that he was crying for a long while now, but ceased as he stared into the setting sun as he sensed a familar presense coming towards him that made him feel guilty. "Guess you found why Kurumu was angry," said a tired Hikaru. Seireitou paid no heed to Hikaru, but meerly reponded, "Yeah...." Hikaru sighed and said, "You don't know Kurumu that well Sei. She isn't a fighter. She only did that training FOR you. Ever notice how she always half-heartedly attacks?" Seireitou looked down, "I know that.... i know more then you think.... do you really think i wanna fight in this war either?" he asked. "It isn't in your place to decide who fights or not," responded Hikaru. "She has to make her own decisions. You aren't her master." Seireitou sneered, "I never once said i was!" he said and then sighed, "Look.... right now, i need to talk with Kurumu.... its the only way things will get fixed..." Hikaru kicked Seireitou to the ground and said, "You will not." Seireitou was about ready to punch Hikaru in the jaw when he sensed a presense aproaching them, and looked down, "Im not ready yet to talk with her..." he thought... Kurumu walked up to see Seireitou and Hikaru talking. She looked to the stars and said, "Seireitou...I..." Seireitou and Kurumu... Seireitou immediatly began to slightly sweat as Hikaru got off and stated, "Good luck...." and disappeared. Seireitou stood up as Kurumu walked to the area. The two were a few feet apart as Seireitou then asked, "What is it...Kurumu?" he asked, looking down. Kurumu crossed her arms and said, "You know I'm not a person to fight anyone without guilt, right?" Seireitou remained silent and then spoke up, "I know that... to tell you the truth, im jealous of you..." he replied. Kurumu looked over shocked, "Jealous? Of what?" Seireitou finally met her eye to eye, "Of the fact that you have a choice in this..... do you think i do? In my position, i dont have that luxury.... I despise war... and even ended my own life for it to end.... But failed..... Your lucky, and i guess im an idiot to try and interfere... Im sorry..a nd you had every right to tell me off right now so..... give it your best shot..." he replied to Kurumu, his head facing straight down. Kurumu smiled and then hugged Seireitou. Seireitou meerly stood with her on him, "But.... i thought you were gonna tell me off....?" he asked, confused. Kurumu looked at Seireitou and said, "I hate fighting, and I hate that you put me in such a position without hearing me out. But right now, there are a few more important things than my comfort level. We have to defeat Aizen, and that's that." She pulled Seireitou in for a long, passionate kiss. When they broke away, she said, "I'll tell you off later, but now isn't the time." Seireitou blushed slightly and smirked, "Gotcha..." he replied happily. He stared into the skies, "Also, one last thing..." he said as he handed Kurumu a piece of paper with writing on it and smiled, "Its for you, i wrote it..." he blushed as he disappeared, via "swishing" noise. Kurumu looked at the paper and sighed, "Full of surprises, aren't you Sei-kun?" She stood up and headed back to her room. Meeting Before the Attack Hikaru sighed as he was being bombarded by comments by the council, mostly Kaguya, at his "dissappearence." He sighed and thought, Will it end? "Not if you keep running away!" called out Kaguya who was accompined by Annon. "Hikaru..." stated Annon. Hikaru turned around and said, "Last time I checked, a 25 year old child had no authority over me." Annon smirked, "As long as your under this army, I do. If a knight strays away from the other pieces, how may it win and obtain a checkmate?" he asked as Kaguya smirked, "Master Annon's got you pegged!" Hikaru sighed and said, "I've walked on my own path for a thousand years. I think I can handle myself." He looked over to Annon and said, "By the way, I would have no classification in chess. Just saying." He turned to walk away, "What I do is ordered by divine authority, not by some kid playing hero politician." Kaguya retorted, "Shut up, loser! If you think your so strong, then fight Annon-heika!". She faced Annon, "What do you say?" she asked Annon. Annon stared at Hikaru, "Im game, you?" he asked. Hikaru smiled, "I thought you'd never ask." He looked to Kaguya, "By the way, have you checked your ancestry ever?" "I have no reason to answer you!" she retorted, closing one eye and stuck out her tongue at Hikaru. "Kaguya-chan, please leave for now...okay?" he asked Kaguya frowned but nodded as she left the area, running. Annon faced Hikaru, "Your choice of location, Hikaru-sempai" he said. Intermission: Divinity and Political Right: Suzaku "Annon" Hyuga vs Hikaru "Shadow" Kurosaki